Page 50 of The Cornish Christmas Book Clu
Their laughter followed him out.
His phone dinged with a new text from Taff. He’d have time enough to take a look at that later. Right now, he had business to drum up.
Chapter Nineteen
Tamara watched Gage’s face light up when they stopped at the Kellows’ gate. The beautiful Victorian home was looking its best tonight. Welcoming lights flooded out from the windows and the jewel-like stained glass above the front door glowed like a handful of wine gums.
‘It’s quite a house, isn’t it?’ he said admiringly.
‘Wait until you see the inside,’ Tamara said. ‘It’s seriously gorgeous. Melissa is so excited about hosting this Thanksgiving dinner. Her first husband, Robin, was never really into it, but now I think Melissa is making up for lost time. She told us it’s always on the fourth Thursday in November and is a really big deal apparently.’
‘I remember being invited to a Thanksgiving dinner in Kabul at an American base. There was tons of great food to pig out on before we watched one of their football games on a massive screen. It was a bit like Christmas, but without the presents. No decorations either really, apart from a few paper turkeys and pumpkins.’
‘I think we’re in for a good evening and I’m definitely ready to have a fun time,’ she said. ‘It’s been such an awesome week so far.’ Excitement bubbled out of her.
The adjustment to working together, while setting boundaries between that and their newly intimate personal life, was going smoothly. The café plans were well underway, and Georgie Rowe and his crew were scheduled to do the kitchen refurbishment, including putting in a new door from the kitchen to the space designated for the café. There were a few legal hoops to jump through, including acquiring food-service and hygiene certificates, and she still needed to work on the menu and branding. Realistically it’d be the new year at the earliest before they could open.
‘What’re you two doing lurking out here? I hope you aren’t snogging in our garden?’ Melissa’s cheery voice rang out, heavily laced with the southern accent she’d never lose. ‘Everyone but Josie and Harry are here already, and we’ve started on the appetisers. Josie wasn’t due to finish work until six, so we knew they’d be late.’
Inside, Tamara couldn’t help smiling. Melissa clearly didn’t get Gage’s memo about not doing much in the way of Thanksgiving decorations. Garlands of fabric leaves in stunning vibrant autumn shades were woven around the intricate Victorian bannisters, and bright orange fairy lights twinkled everywhere. She gave up trying to count the number of pumpkins dotted around the place, real and ornamental, and a couple of life-sized cardboard cutouts in Pilgrim costumes guarded the entrance to the living room.
‘Wow, this is beautiful.’
‘Thanks.’ Melissa beamed. ‘I went a little overboard, but Nathan didn’t mind.’
‘That man’s so nuts over you, he wouldn’t mind if you decorated him too. You could drape a strand of lights over him and stick a pumpkin on his head.’
‘Are my ears burning?’ Nathan came to join them and kissed his wife’s cheek.
‘The only thing burning will be the sweet-potato casserole if you don’t hurry up and whip it out like I asked you three minutes ago.’ Melissa hugged Nathan’s waist and returned the kiss.
‘Already done, my love, and it’s sitting on the counter as instructed.’
‘You’re the best. I’ll see y’all later. The kitchen is calling me back.’ Melissa flashed a wide grin.
‘Anything I can do to help?’ Tamara asked.
‘No, thanks. You’re good.’ Melissa smiled and hurried off.
Tamara scanned the room for somewhere to sit.
‘I’ll hang with the guys and leave you to your girly gossip,’ Gage said.
‘That’s a very sexist remark, Mr Bennet.’
‘Blame everyone else for splitting off into two groups before we got here.’
He pointed to where Tamara’s group of girlfriends were clustered around Evelyn by the seating in front of the fire, while the men were huddled around the television at the other end of the room watching a football match.
‘Here you go.’ Nathan, as if by magic, produced a beer for Gage and a glass of white wine for Tamara. ‘Have I got the drinks right?’
‘You certainly have. We’re creatures of habit,’ Tamara said with a laugh.
‘And you two are playing catch-up with appetisers. Stop by the table and help yourself to what I’m supposed to tell you comprises a layered taco dip, a warm spinach-and-cheese dip, and chilled prawns with a slightly spicy American cocktail sauce.’
Tamara and Gage headed towards the table as instructed. After they loaded a couple of small plates, they sneaked a kiss before parting ways.
‘Right, girls, what’ve I missed?’ Tamara plumped down next to Laura on a sweet two-seater sofa covered in rich burgundy floral fabric, one of Melissa’s new additions. Their cross words at the bookshop opening were long since forgotten. She dipped one of the succulent giant prawns in sauce and popped it in her mouth.
